Nishihira Shuzo (西平酒造株式会社)
Nishihira Shuzo is a shochu distillery in Amami, Kagoshima, making Amami kokuto (brown sugar) shochu, which can only be produced in the Amami islands. Musicians work on the production, and the distillery also ages spirits while playing music to the casks. It was founded in 1927.
What kind of distillery is Nishihira Shuzo?
In 1927 the Nishihira family, who had been making awamori in Okinawa, moved to Amami and began making kokuto shochu. The first toji was Tomi Nishihira, and in 2021 leadership passed to the fourth generation, Serena Nishihira. The distillery aims to connect Amami with the world, brewing with domestic rice, the distillery's groundwater and the pots used since its founding, and distilling at normal pressure.
- Ingredients
- Domestic rice is used for the rice koji.
- Water
- Brewed with groundwater flowing through the distillery, in pots used since its founding.
- Style
- Uses normal-pressure distillation, aiming for the depth of traditional shochu.
- Other
- Offers sonic aging, playing music to the aging casks.
Can you visit Nishihira Shuzo?
- Tours
Tours are by reservation, 2,500 yen including tax (2,000 yen for island residents), with a souvenir. They take about an hour and include a guided walk and tastings. Phone lines are open weekdays 8:30-12:00; groups should contact the distillery by phone or email.
Hours and booking rules change, so check before you go. Official website
Other brewery tours in Kagoshima
Compiled with AI from public pages, mainly the brewery’s own site (not yet checked by the brewery)Sources: nishihira-shuzo.com